A three-dimensional (3D) scanner is a device that can analyze and collect data of shape and/or appearance of an object or environment. 3D models can then be constructed based on data collected by the 3D scanner. In 3D scanning, data of geometry (e.g., vertex position) and color (e.g., per-vertex color) are generally captured. Such data can then be used in building a 3D polygonal mesh. Typically, when 3D scanning a person, salient features such as limbs or other body parts are captured in the geometry data. On the contrary, fine details such as embroidered designs and jewelry details usually do not appear in geometry due to the low spatial resolution of most consumer-oriented 3D sensors or 3D cameras. As a result, those fine details, e.g., the embroidery on clothes, which would otherwise have been creased or raised in reality, appear flat when the 3D model of the person is 3D printed, e.g., using a 3D printer.
Currently, the issue of missing fine details, e.g., in 3D printing, may be partially rectified by manually 3D sculpting all such features. In 3D sculpting, an author may push, pull, smooth, grab, pinch, or otherwise manipulate a 3D object using 3D sculpting software tools. However, 3D sculpting is not only tedious with large dense meshes, as is the case for 3D scan output, but may result in misalignment of edges in the color information and the geometry, which usually become evident after printing.